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R Lo Presti

Publications and source records attributed to R Lo Presti.

70 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

[Physiopathology and clinical aspects of type IV renal tubular acidosis].

Type IV Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is a syndrome whose physiopathological and clinical peculiarities have been described in the last decade. This syndrome can be associated with several pathological conditions characterized by reduced aldosterone activity of which hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism is the most frequent. Type IV RTA originates in a defect in the distal nephron responsible for hydrogen and kalium ion secretion. Renal hyperchloremic acidosis and hyperkalemia are evident; the net acid secretion is decreased especially because of the urinary reduction in ammonia. Besides the behaviour of the spontaneous humoral parameters, the diagnosis of RTA is based on the tests that explore distal nephron acidification.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Red cell filterability and erythrocyte membrane microviscosity during ticlopidine treatment.

The effects of 10 days' treatment with 500 mg/day ticlopidine on the filterability of red blood cells in suspension and on the microviscosity of the red blood cell membrane was evaluated in 11 patients with vascular atherosclerosis. The results show ticlopidine to be effective in influencing the rheological measures of red cell filterability and membrane microviscosity: filterability was increased and microviscosity was decreased. Ticlopidine also decreased the extent of fluorescence polarization. These results are discussed regarding possible mechanisms of action of ticlopidine.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

P300 and respiratory findings in myotonic muscular dystrophy.

Ten patients with myotonic muscular dystrophy (MD) were examined by auditory event-related potentials (P300 ERPs), spirometric and blood gas analyses: arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2). The aim of the study was to analyse the frequency of ERP abnormalities in this disease and to determine whether the neurophysiological evidence of cognitive impairment might be related to the ventilatory function abnormalities frequently described in MD. The mean P300 latency was significantly altered in MD patients compared with controls; P300 latencies did not correlate with spirometric parameters, blood gas values or with age, age at onset, duration or clinical status of the disease. This study provides neurophysiological evidence of cognitive impairment in MD patients. The cognitive deficits are not related to alveolar hypoventilation and appear to be a non progressive feature of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronic exposure to styrene and psychiatric symptomatology: a case-control descriptive study].

BACKGROUND: Although the acute psychiatric consequences exerted by Styrene and other aromatic hydrocarbons are abundantly described, the effects produced by a low-dosages chronic exposure are not known, in spite of the wide employment in the field of industrial production. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychiatric symptoms in a group of subjects exposed to styrene in comparison with a control group, not exposed to the substance. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Twenty two qualified workers, divided into 11 subjects in charge of welding and resin tapping exposed to styrene, and 11 not exposed to neurotoxic substances, were evaluated through the Symptom Check List Revised (SCL-90-R), a scale for the global self-evaluation of psychiatric symptomatology. RESULTS: The statistical tests, herein utilized, showed a significant prevalence for the dimensions somatization and psychoticism in the exposed subjects to styrene as compared to the non-exposed subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study, although limited by the paucity of the sample, emphasize the importance of an early diagnosis and evaluation of the clinical predictors in subjects exposed to styrene. The relatively low concentration levels of styrene in the working area of the subjects exposed underlines the opportunity to arrange preventive evaluation strategies for a prompt intervention in those cases with a clear syndromic presentation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Erythrocyte individual phospholipids and erythrocyte membrane fluidity in subjects with vascular atherosclerotic disease with and without diabetes mellitus of type 2.

In a group of 12 subjects (5 men, 7 women) with vascular atherosclerotic disease (VAD) and in a group of 17 subjects (9 men, 8 women) with VAD and with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) we evaluated the red cell membrane individual phospholipids and their relationships with the erythrocyte membrane fluidity. Examining the group of non diabetic subjects with VAD, it is evident that no difference is present between normals and this group regarding individual phospholipids; in this group is present a slight correlation between the erythrocyte membrane fluidity (expressed as Iex/Im ratio) and phosphatidylethanolamine only. Examining the group of VAD subjects with NIDDM it is evident that between normals and this group a significant difference is present for phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine; in this group no relationship is evident between red cell membrane individual phospholipids and Iex/Im ratio.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Physiopathologic and therapeutic aspects of diabetic ketoacidosis].

The main physiopathologic and therapeutic aspects of diabetic ketoacidosis have been considered. Of the former, we have underlined the enzymatic and hormonal aspects and especially carbohydrate metabolism regulation and the destination of the fatty acids inside the liver cell. Regarding the therapeutic aspects, we have examined insulin therapy, rehydration and administration of potassium. The iatrogenic complications which can be caused by incorrect treatment have also been evaluated.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

MR-imaging of post-traumatic olivary hypertrophy.

We present clinical and magnetic resonance (MR) findings in 83 patients with inner cerebral trauma (ICT). In addition to the ICT-related lesions, uni- or bilateral enlargement and signal abnormalities of the inferior olivary nucleus were detected by MR in 9.6% of patients as a consequence of lesions within the dentato-rubro-olivary pathway. Clinically, segmental myoclonias were present in five patients. These observations suggest that MR imaging is highly sensitive in the detection of olivary hypertrophy and of causative traumatic lesions of the dentato-rubro-olivary pathway.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Exercise test: trend of the leukocyte flow properties, polymorphonuclear membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ content in normals, in subjects with previous acute myocardial infarction and in subjects with aortocoronary by-pass.

We evaluated, during an exercise test, the leukocyte flow properties, the polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) membrane fluidity and PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content in normals, in subjects with previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and in subjects previously submitted to a aortocoronary by-pass. Leukocyte flow properties were evaluated using the St. George filtrometer. Examination of the PMN membrane fluidity was effected employing the probe TMA-DPH; while evaluation of the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content was carried out using the probe Fura 2-AM. At baseline, in both cardiopathic groups a significant difference in PMN filtration parameters and in PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content was evident compared to normals. In normals, at peak of exercise, there was an evident reduction of mononuclear filtration parameters, while during recovery a slight increase of the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content was observed. In subjects with previous AMI and in subjects with aortocoronary by-pass, however, we observed, at peak of exercise, a decrease of the mononuclear filtration parameters, a reduction of the PMN membrane fluidity and an increase of the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content. In both groups, the changes in PMN membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ content remained during recovery. The trend of the PMN membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ content found in the cardiopathic subjects during the exercise test suggest the PMN activation may be more evident in these subjects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ content in different clinical conditions.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) membrane fluidity and PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content in several clinical conditions: diabetes mellitus, vascular atherosclerotic disease (VAD), chronic renal failure (CRF), essential hypertension (EH). In 13 subjects with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), in 24 subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), in 42 VAD subjects, in 23 VAD subjects with NIDDM, in 15 subjects with CRF and in 12 subjects with EH, we determined the PMN membrane fluidity, obtained marking unstimulated PMN cells with fluorescent probe 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH), and considering the fluorescence polarization degree, and the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content, obtained marking unstimulated PMN cells with the fluorescent probe Fura2-AM and considering the ratio between the Fura2-Ca2+ complex and the unchelated Fura 2 fluorescence intensity. From the obtained data it is evident that PMN membrane fluidity does not distinguish normals from IDDM subjects, NIDDM subjects, VAD subjects with and without NIDDM, CRF subjects and hypertensives. PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content, in comparison with normal controls, is significantly increased in VAD subjects (p < 0.01), in VAD subjects with NIDDM (p < 0.001), in CRF subjects (p < 0.001) and in hypertensives (p < 0.05). No correlation was found between PMN membrane fluidity and PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content. The study of these PMN parameters can be useful in the understanding of the role of leukocytes in the vascular damage that characterizes these clinical conditions.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavior of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte membrane fluidity and cystolic Ca2+ content in vascular atherosclerotic disease with and without non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

In 71 subjects with vascular atherosclerotic disease (VAD), in 32 VAD subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in 31 normal controls, we evaluated polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) membrane fluidity and PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content. The PMN membrane fluidity was obtained by marking intact and unstimulated PMN cells with fluorescent probe 1-[4-(trimethylamino)phenyl]-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) and the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content was obtained by marking intact and unstimulated PMN cells with the fluorescent probe Fura 2-AM. From the obtained results, it is evident that PMN membrane fluidity does not differentiate normals from VAD subjects and VAD subjects with NIDDM, and normals from subjects with monovascular disease (MVAD) and polyvascular disease (PVAD) with and without NIDDM. The PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content is significantly increased in VAD subjects and VAD subjects with NIDDM, and also in MVAD and PVAD subjects with and without NIDDM. A positive correlation is present between PMN membrane fluidity and PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content in normals and VAD subjects, but not in VAD subjects with NIDDM. In conclusion, in VAD subjects with and without NIDDM, an increase of the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content is present; this increase might be related to the PMN spontaneous activation.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pallidotomy improves quality of life in selected parkinsonian patients: an Italian report.

Pallidotomy has recently been reconfirmed as effective for otherwise intractable symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Nonetheless almost every aspect of its performance requires choices which are not fully established and may vary between centers. These include: 1) patient selection; 2) choice of imaging modality, 3) choice of anatomic landmarks for targeting the lesion, 4) choice of method for physiologic confirmation of location, 5) choice of lesion size and shape. We present two cases of pallidotomy procedures in Parkinsonian patients that in our knowledge are the first reported in Italy. Our experience and a careful review of the literature led to the following choices: 1) selection of Parkinsonian patients with dominant L-Dopa induced dyskinesia, akinetic and rigidity symptoms, 2) use of CT due to the distortion effects of MRI, 3) use of standard (Laitinen) coordinates combined with an image fusion method using MRI, 4) use of stimulation to gauge distance to internal capsule and optic tract, 5) production of vertical lesion covering internal segment of pallidum. At a 1-year follow-up the results include a 45% drop in UPDRS (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale) motor score and almost complete resolution of contralateral dopa induced dyskinesias in both patients.

Globus Pallidus↗